Good one, Klark. For a long time I always judged her drumming by her simple and tasteful work in ballads, in which she also sang. Then I saw her doing a goofy show drumming spot in YouTube and realised she had a pretty decent jazz technique - nimble and precise.

Drummers who are also lead vocalists have always amazed me. And, of course, they never compete with or down out the singer :)

I'm surprised that Karen is not listed. I'm a heavy metal drummer, and well, I think good drummer no matter the kind of music, should be here, and she MUST have a well deserved spot in this web site. Igor Cavalera, not listed aswell :-(

Karen was a very fine drummer. She was not only skilled but she played with great taste and style - AND while singing with that voice with perfect pitch and phrasing. Like Michael Jackson she was the consummate pro:

Putting aside the fact she had one of the best ever female voices in pop history, her drumming was very advanced for pop of the day. Her drumming in "another song" was close to prog rock in pop tems. I love her articulation and totally egoless musicianship. Just imagine her prowess if she hadn't gone so young. IMO, a way better than credible drummer who's tub thumping reputation suffered as a result of her unique vocal talent taking the limelight.

John Bonham's notorious for at times having a meathead attitude. Truth is he couldnt last a minute in a Carpenters tune. And that's precisely why he said this Im sure. Karen Carpenter was a fantastically skilled drummer at a time when it was UNHEARD of for girls to play drums. I love John Bonham's playing but dislike his misogynist attitude that is actually wrong in this statement.

Putting aside the fact she had one of the best ever female voices in pop history, her drumming was very advanced for pop of the day. Her drumming in "another song" was close to prog rock in pop tems. I love her articulation and totally egoless musicianship. Just imagine her prowess if she hadn't gone so young. IMO, a way better than credible drummer who's tub thumping reputation suffered as a result of her unique vocal talent taking the limelight.

A very late Amen to that. A perfect summation. My all-time favorite female voice.

A lot of people don't realize, Karen started that whole style of that open, sparse single headed tom tom fills that everyone used in the 70's. She didn't have monstrous technique but she was tasty and musical. The studio musicians who eventually played drums copied her style.

A lot of people don't realize, Karen started that whole style of that open, sparse single headed tom tom fills that everyone used in the 70's. She didn't have monstrous technique but she was tasty and musical. The studio musicians who eventually played drums copied her style.

I saw a video of her, drumming and singing, and all the sudden she goes into this fill...it was really cool, very much like the fills Bonzo did on D'yer maker. very musical drumming, and at the point in her career she could have chosen not to drum...I think she just really loved playing drums.

Mmmm, it was different. Blaine defined the 60's and played more 8ths and 16ths. Not that choppy accented type of thing that got popular in the 70's. And the close mic-ing really brought out the punch of the single heads that wasn't especially prevalent on those Wrecking Crew recordings.